Tomato: a crop species amenable to improvement by cellular and molecular methods

Tomato is a crop plant with a relatively small DNA content per haploid genome and a well developed genetics. Plant regeneration from explants and protoplasts is feasable which led to the development of efficient transformation procedures. In view of the current data, the isolation of useful mutants at the cellular level probably will be of limited value in the genetic improvement of tomato. Protoplast fusion may lead to novel combinations of organelle and nuclear DNA (cybrids), whereas this technique also provides a means of introducing genetic information from alien species into tomato. Important developments have come from molecular approaches. Following the construction of an RFLP map, these RFLP markers can be used in tomato to tag quantitative traits bred in from related species. Both RFLP's and transposons are in the process of being used to clone desired genes for which no gene products are known. Cloned genes can be introduced and potentially improve specific properties of tomato especially those controlled by single genes. Recent results suggest that, in principle, phenotypic mutants can be created for cloned and characterized genes and will prove their value in further improving the cultivated tomato.

Caracterização e avaliação de três grupos de arroz-de-sequeiro de diferentes procedências por meio da sensitividade à radiação gama Characterization and evaluation of three groups of rice upland of different origins through gamma-ray sensitivity

A caracterização e avaliação de variedades de arroz auxiliam na seleção dos parentais e na ampliação da base genética dos programas de melhoramento. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar e avaliar três grupos de arroz-de-sequeiro (Oryza sativa L.) de diferentes procedências por meio da sensitividade à radiação gama. Sementes de 84 variedades procedentes do Japão, Filipinas e Brasil foram submetidas a v��rias dosagens de radiação gama e semeadas em caixas de madeira no delineamento em blocos completos ao acaso com três repetições. O experimento foi instalado em casa de vegetação, em 1991, no Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Mediu-se a sensitividade por meio dos efeitos fisiológicos produzidos na geração M1; determinaram-se as porcentagens de emergência, a sobrevivência e a altura das plântulas. Os resultados mostraram diferenças significativas de sensitividade à radiação gama entre grupos em todos os caracteres avaliados.<br>The characterization and evaluation of varieties of rice aid in the parents selection and in the increase of the genetic base of breeding programs. The present work was carried out to characterize and to evaluate three groups of rice upland (Oryza sativa L.) of different origins through gamma-ray sensitivity. Seeds of 84 varieties collected from Japan, Philippines and Brazil, were submitted to various doses of gamma-radiation and sown in wooden boxes. The experiment was conducted in 1991 at greenhouse according to randomized complete block design with three replications. Physiological effects caused by radiation in the M1 generation, such as seed emergency, seedling height and survival rate, were determined and evaluated. The results showed significant differences of sensitivity to the radiation among three groups for all traits evaluated